Contents of the MED.DOC file

Files:

MED.ASM The assembler source for Modified ED (modified PC Mag TED.ASM) MED.BAS A Quick Basic source file (QB4.0) that strips return/line feed characters from the MED.HLP file. (The MED.HLP file is rewritten, hence the original is destroyed.) MED.HLP The help screen used to display commands in the MED editor popup. MED.COM The MED executable. MED.DOC This file.

Note: This software is copyright by PC Magazine and their copyright restrictions still apply.

The MED program differs from TED in three major ways (1) MED rewrites a file to the same clusters. This helps to reduce file fragmentation. (2) MED's commands were remapped to those of the BRIEF editor as closely as possible. (It should not be difficult to change the commands to emulate any other editor. Note that the F2 key also writes the file to disk in addition to the Alt-W command. This is not documented in the help screen popup.) (3) Pressing the Alt key while in the editor causes the help screen to popup. This helps learning the commands for a novice or infrequent user. The popup can be disabled by placing the minus symbol, "-", on the command prior to the file to be edited, e.g., MED - FILE.EXT.

MED.HLP is the help screen that pops up when the Alt key is pressed within the editor. It is in a form that can be edited with MED or any other text editor. The procedure to incorporate the help screen into a freshly assembled MED.COM is to run MED.BAS so that every return and line feed character is striped from the file. (MED.BAS rewrites the MED.HLP file so the original is destroyed; save a copy.) Next you run MED (with or without a filename) and simultaneously hold down the three keys Ctrl, Right Shift, Alt (press Alt last). Code internal to MED.COM reads the MED.HLP file and writes it into the MED.COM file on disk (and the program in memory too). That's it. Of course, you must be running a version of DOS that is 3.1 or later, since the path of the MED.COM file to be modified (to include the help screen) is taken from the location of the path in these versions which follows the environment. If the size of MED.HLP has been increased or decreased the buffer allocated in the source code must be resized as well.

I have been using this modification for many months now and only once did I have a problem with it. The problem arose while I was using a Tandy disk cashing program on a non Tandy machine. I gave the command to write a file to disk prior to exiting a program and the Tandy cache conflicted with MED to the point that several of my hard disk files were trashed. MED's file writes are very fast. The time it took to write the file was far too long and in fact, writes were occurring to disk areas other than to the file being edited. I should have rebooted far sooner than I did to limit the damage done, however I managed to salvage all important files. Considering the enormity of the number of environments in which it might be used I wouldn't be the least surprised if conflict could arise somehow--possibly even disastrous conflict. Thus you are advised that you use the program at your own risk. I assume no responsibility or liability for loss either financial or otherwise that may result from the use of this program.

Any questions regarding MED can be directed to me at my CIS User ID which is 72210,17 or to the US Mail address